METHOD

Make the pastry. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy, then gradually beat in the egg yolks. Add the flour and salt and mix until you can form a dough. Knead briefly, shape into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to the thickness of a 50p coin and use to line a deep (3cm), 23cm fluted tart tin. Prick the base all over with a fork and line with baking paper. Fill with baking beans or rice. Place on a baking sheet and blind-bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the beans/rice and paper and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes until the pastry is lightly golden and crisp.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla seeds and cornflour together in a bowl. In a clean pan, heat the cream with 3 of the thyme sprigs until almost boiling, then pour over the egg mixture. Stir to make a custard.

Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Strain the custard into the pastry case and sprinkle over the raspberries and the remaining thyme sprigs, leaves stripped or broken into pieces. Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly set.

Leave to cool slightly, then remove from the tin. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with a few extra raspberries.

To freeze: place the uncooked ball of pastry, wrapped in cling film, then foil, in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost fully, then continue.